Shrimp Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

This is a rich, easy-to-make, elegant dish.  And it is so versatile!  I have made it with many different types of vegetables, the most recent being fiddleheads.  You can make it with or without shrimp also.  It's all up to you.  The important part is the butter and cream.  Yes, it is very rich, and drool-worthy.  I am just going to write the basic recipe here.  If you are making this with vegetables just add them with the garlic at the beginning to cook them a little, and then they will continue cooking in the sauce.  I like combinations of thinly sliced zucchini, carrots, peppers, and asparagus.  If you are making it without any vegetables I would throw in about a tablespoon of fresh herbs to give it some added flavour.  Rosemary would go nicely with the lemon and shrimp, as well as basil.  Don't be afraid to experiment with different tastes!  Sometimes I even add some white wine:)

*oops, no picture:( I was too excited to eat this and forgot about taking one*

Shrimp Pasta with Lemon Cream Sauce

400 g Pasta (fettuccine or penne work well for this sauce)
3 tablespoons of butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
350g of uncooked shrimp, peeled
1 cup vegetables of your choosing (if desired)
1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Pepper, to taste

Bring salted water to boil, add pasta and cook until al dente.  Reserve 1/4 cup of cooking water and set pasta aside.
Melt butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and vegetables, cooking for 2-3 minutes.  Add shrimp, and cook for 1 minute longer.
Lower heat to medium and add lemon juice, cream, and pasta water.  Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.  Let the sauce thicken (about 5 minutes) and then stir in the Parmesan cheese.  Add pasta and parsley, and then serve with more cheese on top along with some freshly ground black pepper.